🤯 ChatGPT In 2025: All The Features You'Re Probably Missing

If you want to learn everything ChatGPT can do, you have come to the right place. As the most popular AI chatbot with nearly 550 million monthly active users worldwide, ChatGPT has become a very important tool for millions of people. Whether you are a complete beginner or want to learn about advanced features you didn't know about, this article will show you every single thing this powerful AI assistant can do.

Why is ChatGPT Still The Top Choice?

ChatGPT is not just famous because it was the first. It stays in the top position because it is fast, reliable, and can do many different things. What makes it special is that it feels like talking to a real person. The conversations feel natural, and it has a warm, safe personality that makes you feel comfortable talking about almost anything.

It doesn’t just answer questions. It can also be creative, analyze data, write computer code, and even see and understand the world through pictures. Because it can do so many things, it has become a necessary tool for many people in their work and daily lives.

Getting Started: A Tour Of The ChatGPT Screen

When you first visit the ChatGPT website, you will see a clean, simple screen with a text box at the bottom. But there is much more than just a place to type. Let's take a look around together.

Main Features On The Chat Screen

When you start a new chat, you will see important function buttons right next to the text box:

• The Plus Button (+): This is your door to media features. When you click it, you can upload photos, files (like PDFs, CSVs), or use special modes:

  • Agent Mode: This lets ChatGPT do real tasks for you, not just chat. For example, it can help you build a simple website.

  • Deep Research: Use this to gather and summarize detailed information on any topic from many sources on the internet.

  • Image Generation: This helps you create pictures from your text descriptions.

  • Connectors: This lets you connect to other software to do more things, like connecting to Google Drive or Microsoft Office.

• Other Special Features:

  

  • Study and Learn: Perfect for creating educational content, explaining difficult ideas, or making quizzes to review information.

  • Web Search: Helps ChatGPT get the latest information from the internet so its answers are always up-to-date.

  • Canvas: A special workspace for editing text and creating code, where you can see a preview of the result right away.

• Voice Mode: This is one of the best features. You can have real conversations with ChatGPT. This is especially useful on the mobile app when you are walking or cannot type.

• Model Selection: The default model is GPT-4o, which is the newest and most powerful model today. However, you can choose other models if you need to, depending on your task.

Features On The Sidebar

The toolbar on the left side of the screen is your control center.

• GPTs: These are custom versions of ChatGPT that have specific skills. Think of them as "experts" in different areas, like a writing assistant expert, a data analyst expert, or even a tarot card reader.

• Projects: This helps you organize your conversations by topic. For example, you can create a project called "Summer Trip Plan," and all chats about finding places, booking tickets, and planning your schedule will be saved there.

• Settings: This is where you will find options to schedule tasks, personalize your experience, and control your privacy.

Basic Use: More Than Just A Search Tool

Most people start using ChatGPT like Google by asking common questions like "What is the capital of Australia?" or "What is the recipe for bread?". While this is okay, you are missing out on the real power of ChatGPT.

Where ChatGPT Is Really Great

ChatGPT is excellent at creative and personal tasks. Instead of asking basic questions, try something with more detail.

Example 1: Creating Content

Instead of asking: "What are the benefits of reading books?"

Try a more detailed prompt:

Write a short Facebook post (about 150 words) to encourage young people to read more books. Use a friendly, casual tone, and end with a question to get people to comment. The target audience is university students.

ChatGPT will not just list the benefits. It will create a complete post with the right tone, maybe with some relevant hashtags and an interesting call to action.

Example 2: Analyzing and Improving a Website

You can ask ChatGPT to look at your website and give you ideas to make it better. This is a great way to get a "second pair of eyes" from a professional without paying any money.

Try this prompt:

Please look at my website at [your website address] and give me 5 specific suggestions to improve the user experience. Focus on making the homepage easier for first-time visitors to understand.

ChatGPT will visit your website and provide detailed suggestions, such as: "Your main headline is not clear, try changing it to 'Reliable Accounting Services for Small Businesses'," or "Your 'Contact' button is a bit hard to find, you should move it to the top right corner of the screen."

Visual Abilities: ChatGPT Can See

One of the least-used features of ChatGPT is its ability to analyze images. You can take a picture of almost anything and get helpful answers.

• Checking ingredients in your kitchen: Take a photo of the inside of your fridge and ask:

This is what’s left in my fridge. Can I make a simple dinner tonight?
ChatGPT might suggest an omelet with vegetables or a quick salad.

• Medical learning: (Note: Only for learning. This is not professional medical advice). You can upload an X-ray image and ask:

This is an X-ray image of a hand. Can you explain the main bones I am seeing?

• Fixing problems: Have a problem with something in your house? Take a picture of it!

My faucet is leaking from this spot (see picture). Which nut should I try to tighten first?

• Identifying products: See something you like but don't know what it is?

What kind of plant is this? I saw it while walking in the park.

Voice And Camera Features On Mobile

The mobile app has special features where you can turn on your camera while using voice mode. You can point your camera at things and have a natural conversation about what you are seeing.

For example, you can walk around your living room, point the camera at your sofa, and say, "Would this sofa look good with a blue rug?" The answers feel very natural, like you are talking to an interior designer.

Voice Mode: Your AI Conversation Partner

This is where ChatGPT gives a really different experience. The voice function is not just for convenience; it helps you have real conversations.

• Brainstorming project ideas: You can talk about your ideas and get feedback right away.

"I'm thinking about starting a YouTube channel about home gardening for beginners. What do you think? What should the first topic be?"

• Practicing difficult conversations: Rehearse important talks before you have them.

"Let's role-play. You are my manager. I want to practice asking for a raise. You can start by asking, 'Hi, what can I help you with?'"

• Getting encouragement: Sometimes you need someone to talk to but don't want to bother your friends.

"I'm feeling a little down today. Can you tell me an inspiring story?"

• Role-playing situations: Practice for a presentation or an interview.

"I have an interview soon for a marketing job. Can you ask me some common interview questions?"

Important Note: Even though voice mode is very engaging, be careful not to depend on it too much. There have been cases of people developing unhealthy relationships with AI assistants. Always remember that it is a tool, not a real friend.

Data Analysis And Making Charts

ChatGPT can handle complex data analysis tasks. You can upload:

• Articles and documents (PDF, DOCX)

• CSV files with data (for example, a spreadsheet from Excel)

• Scientific research papers in PDF format

After uploading, you can ask it to create interactive dashboards or analyze trends.

Example: Let's say you have a small coffee shop and you track your daily sales in an Excel file, which you save as a CSV.

You can upload the file august_sales.csv and give this prompt:

This is the sales data for my coffee shop in August. Based on the 'Product' and 'Quantity Sold' columns, please create a pie chart to show which product was the bestseller. Also, create a bar chart to compare total sales for each day of the week to see which day is the busiest.

ChatGPT will use its code interpreter to analyze the file and create visual charts, helping you easily understand your business situation without needing to be a data expert. While it may not be as powerful as special tools like Claude for some long text analysis tasks, ChatGPT's abilities are still very impressive for general analysis.

Building Simple Applications

Do you want to create a quick app without knowing how to code? Just ask ChatGPT.

Try the following prompt in the Canvas feature:

Please code a simple Pomodoro timer app using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The app needs a 25-minute countdown timer, and 'Start', 'Pause', and 'Reset' buttons.

ChatGPT will create a fully working timer app with the functions you asked for. You can preview and interact with it right in the Canvas window. This is a great way to create useful little tools for your daily work.

The result:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8" />
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
  <title>Pomodoro Timer</title>
  <style>
    :root {
      --bg: #0f172a;        /* slate-900 */
      --panel: #111827;     /* gray-900 */
      --text: #f8fafc;      /* slate-50 */
      --muted: #94a3b8;     /* slate-400 */
      --accent: #22c55e;    /* green-500 */
      --accent-2: #ef4444;  /* red-500 */
      --accent-3: #3b82f6;  /* blue-500 */
    }

    * { box-sizing: border-box; }
    html, body {
      height: 100%;
      background: radial-gradient(1200px 800px at 70% -10%, #1f2937 0%, var(--bg) 60%);
      margin: 0;
      font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji";
      color: var(--text);
    }

    .wrap {
      min-height: 100%;
      display: grid;
      place-items: center;
      padding: 24px;
    }

    .card {
      width: 100%;
      max-width: 520px;
      background: linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255,255,255,0.06), rgba(255,255,255,0.02));
      backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
      border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.08);
      border-radius: 20px;
      padding: 28px;
      box-shadow: 0 10px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.35);
    }

    .heading {
      display: flex;
      align-items: baseline;
      gap: 10px;
      margin: 0 0 16px 0;
    }
    .heading h1 {
      font-size: 20px;
      font-weight: 700;
      margin: 0;
      letter-spacing: 0.4px;
    }
    .sub {
      color: var(--muted);
      font-size: 14px;
    }

    .timer {
      display: grid;
      place-items: center;
      margin: 16px 0 24px 0;
      padding: 8px 0;
    }
    .time {
      font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
      font-size: clamp(56px, 12vw, 88px);
      line-height: 1;
      font-weight: 800;
      letter-spacing: 2px;
      text-shadow: 0 2px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.35);
    }
    .status {
      margin-top: 6px;
      color: var(--muted);
      font-size: 13px;
      height: 18px; /* reserve space */
    }

    .controls {
      display: grid;
      grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr;
      gap: 10px;
    }
    button {
      appearance: none;
      border: none;
      padding: 12px 14px;
      border-radius: 12px;
      font-size: 15px;
      font-weight: 700;
      cursor: pointer;
      color: white;
      transition: transform 120ms ease, box-shadow 120ms ease, opacity 120ms ease;
      box-shadow: 0 6px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.25);
    }
    button:active { transform: translateY(1px); }
    button:disabled {
      opacity: 0.5;
      cursor: not-allowed;
      box-shadow: none;
    }

    .start { background: linear-gradient(180deg, var(--accent), #16a34a); }
    .pause { background: linear-gradient(180deg, var(--accent-3), #2563eb); }
    .reset { background: linear-gradient(180deg, var(--accent-2), #dc2626); }

    .foot {
      margin-top: 18px;
      color: var(--muted);
      font-size: 12px;
      text-align: center;
    }
    .kbd {
      background: rgba(255,255,255,0.08);
      border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18);
      padding: 2px 6px;
      border-radius: 6px;
      margin: 0 2px;
      font-family: ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, "Liberation Mono", "Courier New", monospace;
      font-size: 11px;
      color: #e5e7eb;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" aria-labelledby="title">
      <div class="heading">
        <h1 id="title">Pomodoro Timer</h1>
        <span class="sub" id="phase">25-minute focus</span>
      </div>

      <div class="timer" aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true">
        <div class="time" id="time">25:00</div>
        <div class="status" id="status"></div>
      </div>

      <div class="controls">
        <button id="start" class="start">Start</button>
        <button id="pause" class="pause" disabled>Pause</button>
        <button id="reset" class="reset">Reset</button>
      </div>

      <p class="foot">Shortcuts: <span class="kbd">S</span> Start <span class="kbd">P</span> Pause <span class="kbd">R</span> Reset</p>
    </section>
  </main>

  <audio id="beep" preload="auto">
    <source src="data:audio/mp3;base64,//uQZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA..." type="audio/mpeg" />
    <!-- Fallback: simple JS alert if audio cannot play -->
  </audio>

  <script>
    // --- Configuration ---
    const DEFAULT_MINUTES = 25; // 25-minute Pomodoro

    // --- State ---
    let remaining = DEFAULT_MINUTES * 60; // seconds
    let timerId = null;
    let running = false;

    // --- Elements ---
    const timeEl = document.getElementById('time');
    const statusEl = document.getElementById('status');
    const startBtn = document.getElementById('start');
    const pauseBtn = document.getElementById('pause');
    const resetBtn = document.getElementById('reset');
    const beep = document.getElementById('beep');

    // --- Helpers ---
    function format(sec) {
      const m = Math.floor(sec / 60).toString().padStart(2, '0');
      const s = Math.floor(sec % 60).toString().padStart(2, '0');
      return `${m}:${s}`;
    }

    function render() {
      timeEl.textContent = format(remaining);
      document.title = `${format(remaining)} • Pomodoro`;
    }

    function setRunningUI(isRunning) {
      running = isRunning;
      startBtn.disabled = isRunning; // can't start twice
      pauseBtn.disabled = !isRunning; // only pause when running
      statusEl.textContent = isRunning ? 'Focus mode…' : '';
    }

    function tick() {
      if (remaining > 0) {
        remaining -= 1;
        render();
      } else {
        stopTimer();
        statusEl.textContent = 'Done! Take a short break.';
        try { beep && beep.play && beep.play(); } catch (_) { alert('Time\'s up!'); }
      }
    }

    function startTimer() {
      if (running) return;
      setRunningUI(true);
      timerId = setInterval(tick, 1000);
    }

    function stopTimer() {
      if (timerId) clearInterval(timerId);
      timerId = null;
      setRunningUI(false);
    }

    function resetTimer() {
      stopTimer();
      remaining = DEFAULT_MINUTES * 60;
      render();
    }

    // --- Wire up controls ---
    startBtn.addEventListener('click', startTimer);
    pauseBtn.addEventListener('click', stopTimer);
    resetBtn.addEventListener('click', resetTimer);

    // Keyboard shortcuts: S (start), P (pause), R (reset)
    window.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
      const k = e.key.toLowerCase();
      if (k === 's') startTimer();
      if (k === 'p') stopTimer();
      if (k === 'r') resetTimer();
    });

    // Initial render
    render();
  </script>
</body>
</html>

Comparing Free And Paid Plans

What You Get With The Free Plan

The free plan of ChatGPT is very generous and is enough for many people:

• Access to the GPT-4o model (the most advanced model).

• Basic voice function.

• Image analysis.

• File uploads.

• The Projects feature to organize your work.

• Access to public GPTs created by the community.

• Basic web search.

Rate Limits: Free users have a limit on the number of messages they can send in a certain amount of time, but this limit is quite reasonable for normal use.

ChatGPT Plus ($20/month)

The Plus plan unlocks many more powerful features:

• A much higher usage limit for the GPT-4o model.

• Advanced voice mode with video and screen sharing.

• ChatGPT Agent mode (to perform tasks).

• Deep Research function.

• The ability to create your own custom GPTs.

• Limited access to the Sora video creation feature.

ChatGPT Pro ($200/month)

For professional users and businesses that need the best performance:

• Unlimited access to all models, including GPT-4o Pro.

• Unlimited advanced voice features.

• Extended access to all tools.

• A preview of the newest features like the CodeX agent.

Projects: Keep Your Work Organized

Projects help you group related conversations together. Imagine you are planning to learn a new skill, for example, "Learning Stock Market Investing."

1. Create a new Project and name it "Investment Study."

   

2. Add relevant documents: Upload PDF files like the book "The Intelligent Investor" and articles about market analysis.

   

3. Set Custom Instructions: In the project's settings, add an instruction:

When answering questions in this project, always explain financial terms simply, like for a beginner. Always give both the pros and cons of each investment tip.

4. Start chatting: Now, when you ask, "Is Vinamilk stock a good choice?", the answer will follow the instructions you set, use knowledge from the documents you uploaded, and explain everything simply.

   

Each conversation in the project will refer to the uploaded materials and follow your custom instructions, creating your own knowledge base over time.

Custom GPTs: Specialized Assistants

Think of GPTs as versions of ChatGPT that have been "specially trained" with deep knowledge and skills. Some popular GPTs include:

• Scholar GPT: For academic research, finding and summarizing scientific papers.

• Data Analysis: Specializes in working with datasets, creating charts, and statistical analysis.

• Writing Assistant: Helps you write emails, blog posts, and scripts in a professional style.

• Finance and Economics: Provides deep analysis of financial and economic markets.

Creating Your Own GPT

With a paid plan, you can create custom GPTs. For example, you could create a "Healthy Meal Planner Assistant" for your family.

1. Start creating: Choose "Create a GPT."

   

2. Give it a name and description: "Family Meal Assistant," "Helps plan healthy, quick meals for a family of four."

   

3. Provide instructions:

You are a nutrition expert. When a user asks for a menu, prioritize Vietnamese dishes that take less than 45 minutes to prepare and use ingredients that are easy to find at the supermarket. Always provide a detailed shopping list for the whole week.

4. Upload knowledge (optional): You can upload a PDF file with your family's favorite recipes for it to use.

   

After a few simple steps, you have an AI assistant that is completely personalized for your needs.

Deep Research: In-Depth Investigation With AI

This feature creates complete reports on complex topics. Ask for research on a topic like "the trend of solo travel among young Vietnamese people after the pandemic." ChatGPT will:

1. Ask clarifying questions: "Which age group do you want to focus on? Are you interested in domestic or international destinations?"

2. Search through dozens of sources: It will scan articles, blogs, reports, and reliable data sources.

3. Analyze trends and data: It will gather information, find common points, and identify important trends.

4. Create a detailed report: It will present the results in a structured report, including details, statistics, and insights.

This process might take a few minutes and go through over 18 sources with more than 90 searches, but the result is a thorough analysis that would be very hard for you to create quickly by yourself.

Agent Mode: ChatGPT That Can Take Action

Agent mode goes beyond conversation - it can actually perform tasks for you. For example:

1. Ask for suggestions: "Suggest ways to improve my personal portfolio website to attract recruiters."

2. Turn on Agent mode: After getting suggestions, you turn on Agent mode.

3. Ask it to create a draft: "Based on those suggestions, create a mockup for the new website."

4. Ask it to deploy: "Now, deploy this mockup as a live website."

ChatGPT will handle the entire process, including setting up hosting on platforms like GitHub Pages.

Hidden Features In Settings

Scheduled Tasks

You can set up recurring reminders and tasks.

• "Remind me in 10 minutes to call my client."

• Schedule daily research updates: "Every morning at 8 AM, find and summarize the 3 latest news stories about artificial intelligence."

• Set up weekly planning sessions.

Personalization Options

• Custom Instructions: Tell ChatGPT how to talk to you and what to know about your preferences. For example: "I am a freelance writer. Always reply to me in a professional but friendly way. Avoid using very complex words."

• Memory Management: Control what ChatGPT remembers about you from your conversations.

• Privacy Controls: Manage what data is used to train the model.

Memory Check

Want to know what ChatGPT has learned about you? Just ask:

What do you know about me?

The response might surprise you with how much detail it has remembered from your past conversations.

CodeX: Advanced Programming Assistant

CodeX is a special version for programming tasks.

• GitHub Integration: Connect your code repositories.

• Code Analysis: Explain existing codebases, helping you understand other people's code faster.

• Code Generation: Create applications and push them to GitHub.

• Code Review: Get feedback on the code you write, find bugs, and get suggestions for improvement.

It is especially useful for understanding other people's code, which used to be a very time-consuming job before AI.

Sora: Creating Videos From Text

Through ChatGPT, you can access Sora to create videos.

• Create short video clips from text descriptions: "A corgi dog running on a beach at sunset, in slow motion."

• Edit and remix existing videos.

• Create storylines for longer narratives.

• Supports various resolutions and aspect ratios.

Although it is still developing, video generation is improving quickly and will likely become much more powerful in the coming months.

Advanced Tools: Playground And Agents SDK

OpenAI Playground

For advanced users who want more control:

• Detailed prompt engineering.

• API testing.

• Batch processing.

• Vector storage.

• Customizing model parameters.

You can access it at the OpenAI Playground.

Agents SDK

If you are a developer building commercial AI agents:

• A framework to build robust agents.

• Integration with OpenAI's platform.

• Evaluation tools.

• Capabilities for production deployment.

Privacy And Security

ChatGPT offers extensive privacy controls:

• Data Training: Choose whether your conversations are used to improve the model or not.

• Voice Models: Control the use of your voice recordings.

• Memory Settings: Manage what information is kept.

• Export Options: Download all of your data.

• Security: Multi-factor authentication and device management.

Tips And Best Practices

To Get The Best Results From ChatGPT

1. Be Specific: Instead of "help me write," try "write a marketing email for my new course launch, targeting freelance workers."

2. Use Context: Upload relevant files and documents to your projects so ChatGPT has more information.

3. Iterate and Improve: Build on the answers instead of starting from scratch each time. If the first answer isn't good, ask it to "make it funnier" or "rewrite it in a more professional tone."

4. Experiment: Try different models and features for different tasks to see which one works best.

Things To Avoid

• Do not rely on it for real-time information (like breaking news) without turning on the web search feature.

• Be careful about sharing sensitive personal information.

• Do not use it for medical, legal, or financial advice without talking to a professional.

• Avoid depending too much on AI to make decisions. Always use your own judgment.

The Future Of ChatGPT

ChatGPT continues to evolve quickly. Recent additions include:

• Improved multimodal abilities (understanding text, images, and sound at the same time).

• Better code generation.

• More advanced reasoning abilities.

• Better integration with other tools.

Expect to see more powerful video generation, better agent capabilities, and enhanced personalization in future updates.

Conclusion

ChatGPT has grown from a simple chatbot into a complete AI assistant that can help with creative projects, data analysis, coding, research, and much more. Whether you are using the free version or investing in a paid plan, the key is to understand which features fit your needs and to experiment with different approaches.

The most successful ChatGPT users don't just ask questions - they work on ongoing projects, build custom GPTs for specific needs, and make AI assistance a part of their daily workflow. Start with the basics, explore the features that interest you most, and slowly add more advanced capabilities as you get comfortable with the platform.

Remember, ChatGPT is a tool to improve your abilities, not to replace your thinking. Use it to handle routine tasks, find new ideas, and solve complex problems, but always apply your own judgment to the final results.

Which feature will you try first? The possibilities are truly endless.

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